1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to protection against terrorist bombing of aircraft and in particular to construction of aircraft and luggage facilities for directing explosive forces from bombs out of cargo holds safely and inexpensively without occurrence of injury to passengers or debilitating damage to aircraft.
2. Relation To Prior Art
Terrorist bombing of aircraft is proliferating in present world conditions. An effective and relatively inexpensive protection of passengers and aircraft against potential harm from luggage-borne bombs is critical. It can discourage their use in addition to protecting passengers and aircraft.
Solutions to date have included bomb-detection systems and explosion-containment systems. None have provided construction of aircraft and cargo facilities to direct explosive forces out of aircraft without occurrence of injury to passengers or debilitating damage to aircraft in a manner taught by this invention.
The most nearly related devices and systems known are those directed at containing explosive forces within aircraft. Examples of these different but related devices for differently protective systems are described in the following patent documents.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,360,129, issued to Lee, described an explosion-containment luggage container with explosive-containment construction on all but one or more weak faces through which explosive forces could be directed against a section of aircraft hull. There was no provision for construction of aircraft to allow escape of the explosion forces without flight-debilitating damage. U.S. Pat. No. 5,267,665, issued to Sanai et al taught an explosion-resistant luggage container that deformed spherically to aid in absorbing explosion pressures and explosion debris. Neither of these explosion-containment devices have been adequate. Luggage bombs and fear of their use continue to proliferate.